Two big-budget films were released this week, one being Peddi, starring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, which hit theatres on Thursday, followed by Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai on Friday, starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde.
Both films have garnered mixed reviews. However, Janhvi Kapoor is being called out for the alleged hypersexualisation of her character in Peddi. The film shows Janhvi dressed in blouses and is often seen flaunting her midriff, while several of her facial expressions appear below the belt, according to many viewers. Her titillating expressions and lip bite moments, and body language have only added to the backlash.
Body for the lens: Singer Sumangaly slams Peddi makers for hypersexualising Janhvi
Several Instagram pages have called out the makers for allegedly reducing Janhvi's character to a mere sex object in the film. One such page, Recommendation Community, shared a post criticising the filmmakers for oversexualising the actress's role. The post was later liked by Janhvi Kapoor herself, prompting fans to speculate that the actor may have been expressing her dissatisfaction with the treatment of her character.
A post read, "Dear TFI, the day you stop putting characters that have no value in the story, and stop creating them with the sole intention of over-sexualising them, you will start to break the old mould. Yes, the actress gave you the freedom on how to showcase her, and no hate on that. But the way you show her seems so perverted. Sorry if that's harsh, but it's true. Peddi could've been one of the greatest sports dramas out of India. But it is not. Not because of anyone else, but because of the director. He became too comfortable and delivered a mediocre film with some amazing scenes. Man, I have always said Ram Charan Anna is one of the greatest actors, and he proves himself once again. But I am tired of seeing him waste his time on mediocre fare."
Shortly after Janhvi's like drew attention online, singer Sumangaly reshared the same post on her Instagram Stories and voiced her support for the actor. She also took aim at the filmmakers, questioning the portrayal of female characters in mainstream cinema.
Quoting Recommendation Community's post, she wrote, "A room full of powerful men sat down to write a story about the trauma of being powerless. In the same breath, they turned Janhvi Kapoor's character into a body for the lens, a prop for a forced kiss, and a tool to be thrown away when the songs ended. They knew exactly what human dignity meant. They just decided she didn't deserve it."
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Janhvi Kapoor (@janhvikapoor)
The singer's remarks have added fuel to an already intense online conversation surrounding the film's depiction of women and the treatment of its female lead.
What did the Instagram page write?
The Instagram page shared a post titled: "Peddi: the most expensive disrespect ever paid to a leading woman in Indian cinema." The post criticised the film, which was reportedly mounted on a ₹350 crore budget, for discussing the denial of human identity as a systemic evil while simultaneously denying Janhvi's character, Achiyamma, the same humanity.
The post argued that despite the film's larger social message, its treatment of the female lead undermined that very theme. It also questioned why a character with narrative potential was reduced to visual appeal and romantic tropes.
A portion of the post spoke about how Janhvi had reportedly questioned the makers' approach towards her character, but her concerns were allegedly ignored and the visuals remained in the final cut. The post read: "It is easy to blame an actress for the roles she takes, but the actual timeline tells a different story. Reports show that Janhvi Kapoor explicitly questioned these shots during post-production, a boundary that perfectly mirrors her recent public stance against the industry's habit of oversexualizing women. She drew a professional line, but the final edit kept the footage anyway. This isn't a case of an actress failing to stand up for herself. It is a director choosing to ignore a boundary because he decided her consent mattered less than his box office numbers."
What is the story of Peedi apart from it only sexualising Janhvi Kapoor?
Directed by Buchi Babu, the story revolves around Peddi (Ram Charan), who is a talented cricketer from a lower-caste community in a neglected village, long denied a railway station. Frustrated by the way the government functions, he decides to put his village on the national map by winning a national wrestling championship. But when fate doesn't help, Peddi's journey takes an unexpected turn. What starts as an inspiring story about India's sporting ambitions, however, loses its crux, and the story goes haywire.
Peddi is introduced as a cricketing phenomenon; the film performs a bizarre pivot to wrestling. The transition is so strange.
Soon, the makers introduce a romantic angle, essayed by Janhvi Kapoor; her character disappears suddenly, reappearing later with love for Peddi- and we haven't even seen the two romance once before this!
Peddi Box Office Collection Worldwide Day 1
The total India gross of the Ram Charan-starrer stands at Rs 82.49 crore and the total India net at Rs 69.50 crore. Worldwide, the movie has earned Rs 135.36 crore.
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